What Are Some Benefits of Electronic Textbooks?

Electronic textbooks have the advantage of being immediately available and plentiful in supply. Physical textbooks are subject to availability from traditional retailers and can require an excessive delivery time when ordered from an online retailer.

After purchasing an electronic textbook, buyers are free to download them immediately for use. Electronic textbooks downloaded on laptops or e-readers are highly portable, and the devices are lightweight and eliminate the need to carry multiple books. Electronic textbooks are also current and up to date for longer periods of time due to the ability to download updates from the publisher. With traditional textbooks, users have to wait for publishers to print updated editions to have access to the most current information.

Electronic textbooks eliminate the necessity of highlighting pens by providing a text highlighting feature built directly into each textbook. Electronic textbooks are also equipped with a search function that allows students to find page numbers and passages of text quickly and easily by inputting them into the search window. Another advantage of electronic textbooks is the inclusion of audio. Most electronic textbooks possess the ability to be converted to an audio format for students to use, and physically reading them is no longer a requirement in some instances.